Step-by-Step Keyword Mapping Process That Transforms Your SEO Strategy

Hey, friend! Running a small website and dreaming of popping up on Google’s front page? We get it—it can feel like trying to bake a perfect cake without a recipe. That’s where keyword mapping swoops in to save the day! It’s like drawing a treasure map that guides the right people to your site by matching search terms to your pages. 

In this cozy, step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through building a keyword map for your small site, no stress involved. Plus, we’ve tossed in a template and checklist you can snag to make it a breeze. 

Let’s get started and make your website shine!

Step 1: Dream Big—What’s Your Website All About?

Before we dive into keywords, let’s chat about your website’s heart and soul. What’s it here to do, and who’s it for? Getting clear on this sets the stage for a comprehensive and effective keyword map.

• What to Do: Grab a notebook (or your favourite note app) and write down your website’s big dreams—maybe it’s selling handmade goodies, booking clients, or sharing your expertise. Then, think about your people: Who are they? What keeps them up at night? What might they Google to find you?
• Example: Picture a small bakery website. Your goal might be getting locals to order custom cakes or swing by for a sweet treat. Your audience could be parents hunting for “birthday cakes near me” or couples searching for “wedding cakes in [your town].”
• Little Nudge: Peek at Google Analytics or have a quick chat with customers to get the scoop on what they love. It’s like inviting your audience over for coffee to hear their story!

Step 2: Take a Tour of Your Website

Next, let’s stroll through your site and see what pages you’ve got. It’s like checking your pantry before baking—you need to know what’s already there.

• What to Do:
  1. Make a list of every page on your site. You can use a tool like Screaming Frog to grab all your URLs or just jot them down old-school style.
  2. Sort them into groups like homepage, about, services, blog, or contact.
  3. Note what each page is trying to do—like selling a service or sharing a story.
• Example: A bakery site might have a homepage, an “About Us” page, services (such as custom cakes or catering), a blog for recipes or tips, and a contact page.
• Little Nudge: Skip pages that don’t need Google’s attention, like “order confirmed” pages. Focus on the ones that’ll bring visitors knocking.

Step 3: Go on a Keyword Treasure Hunt

Now, let’s have some fun digging up the words and phrases your audience is typing into Google. This is where you find the gold that’ll draw people to your site.

• What to Do:
  1. Pop open tools like Google Keyword Planner (free and fabulous!), Ahrefs, or SEMrush to brainstorm keywords tied to your niche.
  2. Hunt for:
     • Primary keywords: The big-deal terms you want to own, like “custom cakes [your town]”.
     • Secondary keywords: Supporting words or synonyms, like “personalized cakes” or “unique cake designs”.
     • Long-tail keywords: super-specific phrases with less competition, like “gluten-free cupcakes in [your town]”.
  3. Pick keywords with some search love (50–1,000 searches a month is perfect for small sites), low to medium difficulty, and ones that feel like they belong on your site.
• Example: For a bakery, you might uncover treasures like “vegan cupcakes”, “wedding cake ideas”, or “custom cakes [your town]”.
• Little Nudge: Peek at what your competitors are ranking for—it’s like borrowing a pinch of their secret sauce to spark ideas!

Step 4: Pair Keywords with Pages Like a Matchmaker

This is where the magic happens—connecting your keywords to the perfect pages on your site. It’s like setting up your pages on a date with the right search terms!

• What to Do:
  • Open a spreadsheet (Google Sheets is your pal) and create columns for Page URL, Page Title, Primary Keyword, Secondary Keywords, Content Type, User Intent (like “buying something” or “just browsing”), and Notes.
  • Match keywords to pages:
    • Give each page one primary keyword to keep things clear and avoid Google mix-ups.
    • Toss in related secondary keywords to add flavour.
    • Make sure the keywords fit the page’s vibe (e.g., “custom cakes” for a service page, “how to choose a wedding cake” for a blog post).
  • Spot any lonely keywords that need a new page to call home.
• Example:
  • URL: /services/custom-cakes
  • Primary Keyword: custom cakes [your town]
  • Secondary Keywords: personalized cakes, unique cake designs
  • User Intent: Buying
  • Notes: Sprinkle in local details to charm nearby customers.
• Little Nudge: If spreadsheets aren’t your thing, try Airtable for a fancier, colourful setup.

Step 5: Give Your Pages a Keyword Glow-Up

With your keyword map ready, it’s time to make your pages sparkle. This is where you tweak (or create) content to match your keywords and delight your visitors.

• What to Do:
  1. Spruce up these key spots:
     • Title Tag: Slip in your primary keyword, like “Custom Cakes in [Your Town] – [Your Bakery].”
     • Meta Description: Write a catchy blurb with your keywords to make searchers click.
     • H1/H2 Headings: Weave in primary and secondary keywords naturally in your headers.
     • Body Content: Create helpful, keyword-rich content that answers exactly what your visitors are searching for.
  2. Match the content to what people want—like a blog post for “how-to” questions or a product page for “I’m ready to buy” moments.
  3. Add links between pages, like pointing from a blog post about wedding cakes to your custom cakes service page.
• Example: For “custom cakes [your town],” whip up a service page with cake options, prices, and a big “Order Now” button, sneaking in secondary keywords like “personalized cakes” in subheadings.
• Little Nudge: Tools like Yoast SEO or SurferSEO can help you perfect your keywords and content without breaking a sweat.

Step 6: Check In and Keep It Fresh

Your keyword map is like a garden—it needs regular love to thrive. Keep an eye on how it’s doing and tweak it to stay on top.

• What to Do:
  1. Use Google Search Console or Ahrefs to see how your keywords and pages are performing.
  2. Give your keyword map a refresh every few months—add new keywords, update content, or adjust for new trends.
  3. Fix any pages that aren’t shining by tweaking the content or trying new keywords.
• Example: If “vegan cupcakes” isn’t getting love, maybe write a blog post about vegan baking or give the page a little SEO TLC.
• Little Nudge: Set up rank tracking for your primary keywords—it’s like watching your site climb the Google ladder!

Your Go-To Keyword Mapping Template

Here’s a super simple template to kickstart your keyword map. Pop it into a spreadsheet or download it as a CSV to keep everything neat and tidy.

Downloadable CSV Template:

Page URL, Page Title, Primary Keyword, Secondary Keywords, Content Type, User Intent, Notes

• / Homepage, [your brand] bakery, “bakery [your town], local bakery, Homepage, Finding You, Show off your yummiest treats
• / services/custom-cakes, Custom Cakes, custom cakes [your town], personalised cakes, unique cake designs, Service Page, Buying, Add some local charm
• / blog/wedding-cake-guide, Wedding Cake Guide,  how to choose a wedding cake, wedding cake tips, cake design ideas, Blog Post, Learning, Link to your services

Your Keyword Mapping Checklist

This checklist is your trusty sidekick to make sure you’ve got everything covered:

• Nailed down my website’s goals and who I’m reaching.
• Listed all my website pages.
• Hunted for keywords—primary, secondary, and those juicy long-tail ones.
• Built a keyword map spreadsheet with all the good stuff.
• Gave each page one primary keyword to keep Google happy.
• Matched keywords to what people are searching for and what my pages do.
• Found gaps where I need new pages.
• Polished up titles, metas, headings, and content with keywords.
• Linked related pages to help visitors explore.
• Set up tracking to watch my keywords climb.
• Marked my calendar for quarterly check-ins to keep the map fresh.

A Few Extra Hugs for Success

• Keep It Simple: Start with 10–20 keywords to avoid feeling overwhelmed—it’s like baking one batch of cookies at a time.
• Go Local: If you serve a specific area, sprinkle in city or region keywords to attract nearby folks.
• Think Like Your Visitor: Create content that answers their questions or solves their problems—whether they’re browsing or ready to buy.
• Lean on Free Tools: Google Keyword Planner and Search Console are your budget-friendly BFFs.
• Stay Committed: Keep checking in on your keyword map to keep your site growing and glowing.

There you go—a warm, friendly plan to whip up a keyword map that’ll give your small website a big SEO hug. Grab the template, check off the list, and watch your site start connecting with the right people. You’re going to rock this!